The Bank of Namibia has appointed Irene Venter as the Deputy Director of Digital Payments Oversight, Licensing & Policy Research.
Previously, Venter served as the Head of Transactional Banking at Standard Bank Namibia, where she was responsible for developing and executing the Corporate Transaction Strategy, with a strong emphasis on product transformation and innovation.
Before that, she was the Senior Manager for Transaction Banking at Rand Merchant Bank, focusing on new business development, sales, relationship management, and fintech outlook.
In her new role, Venter will be responsible for digital payments oversight, licensing of Virtual Asset Service Providers as well as PSPs, and payment systems policy research.
This includes ensuring an appropriate enabling environment is maintained for the modernization of the National Payment System.
Additionally, she will act as a catalyst to facilitate the reform of payment systems in Namibia, overseeing operations of PAN in relation to the Payment System Management Act, as well as ensuring the Bank’s regional payment system initiatives and programmes are implemented.
Venter holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Liverpool, a BBA in International Business, and has completed a Senior Management Development program at the University of Stellenbosch.
She also holds a Fintech Certification from Harvard University, among other certifications.